Signal-box for fire-alarm systems.



F. S. BRONSON.

SIGNAL BOX FOR FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1909.

' Patented May 24, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

3441mm to:

- F. SJBRONSON. SIGNAL BOX FOR FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS.

. APPLIOATION FILED D2013, 1909. 958,71 9. Patented May 24, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gnuenl'oz Witnesses a call or signa;

shown in cross section. Fig. 3 is a UNITED snares rare @EFICE.

. FB-EIDEBICK S. BRONSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 DENIO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNAL-BOX FOR FIRE-ALARM SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgtigntdltiay 24, 1910.

Application filed December 13, 1909. Serial li -532,807.

tain new and useful Improvements in Signal-Boxes for- Fire-Alarm Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the reference characters marked thereon.

My present invention relates to signal boxes for fire alarm systems and it has for its object to provide an apparatus of this character which is adapted to be used in conjunction with the so'called automatic telephone systems, the signaling apparatus being adapted to actuate the central office telephone switching mechanism to automatically select the fire alarm headquarters and thereafter ring in the number of the box or the station at which it is located.

To these and other ends the invention con sists in certain improvements and combina tions of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signal box showing the operat ing parts constructed in accordance with my invention and in their normal position. Fig. '2 is a side elevation, parts thereof being detail view of the signal mechanism, the parts being in the operated position. Fig. 4: is a cross sectional view showing the driving gear train, and Fig. 5 is a-diagrammatic illustration, showingv the arrangement of the signal box in conjunction with an automatic telephone system. 7

Similar reference characters in the several figures indicate similar parts.

My present invention relates to fire alarm signals or call boxes, employed in conjunction with a subscribers circuit of a telephone system,

to the fire alarm headquarhers and in sor ie telephone systems, in which the central office connections are set up or established manually, the subscribers circuit is first connected to the fire alarm circuit by the central 0 orator, after which the signal is transmitte In such cases special provision is made for attracting the attention of for automatically despatching the central operator so that she will recognize the source of. the call and efi'ect the connection desired without delay.-

' The signal box constructed in accordance with my present invention is adapted tobe used in connection with the well known automatic telephone systems in which the connections between subscribers circuits are effected automatically by means of the switching mechanism arranged at the central oiiice', said box being provided with means whereby the necessary switching operating impulses of current will be despatched over the calling circuit in sequence, to establish connections with the alarm circuit or the circuit leading to the fire'department headquarters, before the impulses of current are despatched for sounding the alarm,'or recording the number of the box from which it originates.

In illustrating my present invention 1 have shown the mechanism arranged on a base 1 and inclosed within a casing 2 provided with a glass panel or panels 3 and 4. The signal mechanism is mounted in a suitable fraine composed of the forward and rear face plates 5 and 6, between which is located a gear train, as shown in Fig. l, operated by a coil spring central arbor or shaft 8, the speed of which is controlled by the escapement member 9, the oscillation thereof being governed by the fan 10 connected thereto. Also mounted on the base 1 beneath the above described mechanism is the device which normally being actuated to release the lat ter. Any suitabie form of controlling apparatus may be used for this purpose. The one shown, however, comprises a plunger 11, positioned beneath and normally engaging the escapement member 9, said plunger be-- ing sup orted in position y a spring 13 which'may be moved out of the path of the plun er 11 by the in;- ward movement of a ush' utton 14.

The operating mec ianism further comrises various contacts arranged on the face of the plate 5, as shown in Fig. 1 and the cotiperating devices for actuating them. The latter comprise two signal wheels 15 and 16 mounted on the arbor 8 and a pivoted capable of lever 17 also controlled by one of said 7 and driving a a guide 12 and held in i 90 prevents the rotation of the shaft. 8, but is and in its wardly extending end 19 having a beveled face 20 overlying the face of the wheel 16 l position projecting in 21 carried on the Wheel normal the path of the pin 16. The upper .end of the lever carries a pin 22 normally engaging the end of the arm 23 on the winding arbor 24 of the transmission spring 7 and when the latter is wound and I the box it set in condition to be operated, the arm 23 rests in engagement with a pin 25 and in front of the pin 22. These co operating parts in conjunction with the pin 21 on the wheel 16 prevent the movement of the lever in either direction until after the signal mechanism has been released, and it j will then be seen that the rotating of the I train of gears will permit the arbor 24 to carry the arm 23 out of the path of the pin 22 and as the arbor 8 revolves the pin 21 will engage the cam surface 20 of the lever 17 and rock the latter into the position shown in Fig. 3. This lever is provided with a laterally extending finger carrying an insulated pin 26 for controlling a spring i contact member 27 lying between cooperating contacts 28 and 29, said spring being normally held in engagement with the contact 28 and provided at its extremity with an angular portion 30 over which the pin 26 rides to permit the spring to engage the I contact 29. Also pivoted on the face plate 5 is a lever 31 having a point or projection 32 thereon cooperating with the wheel 15 and also provided with an insulated finger 33 controlling the movementof the contact spring 34:. The latter is positioned between the contacts 35 and 36, but is normally flexed to move into engagement with the former and to move the lever 35 toward the Wheel 15. The-wheel 16 is provided in its eriplierywith notches or teeth indicated by 37, arranged in any manner desired to cause of current impulses corresponding in number or designation of the box or station and cooperating with these teeth is a contact spring 38 through which the alarm circuit is opened and closed.

The spring contacts 27 and 34 and their respective contacts are all arranged in the subscribers circuit of an automatic telephone exchange system, as shown in Fig. 5,

andthe contact springs are each moved into engagement with their respective contacts at proper times so that by their conjoint action the necessary operations of the switchin apparatus at the central oflice may be e ected. In order to illustrate this feature of the apparatus, I have shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 a well known type of switch with which those conversant with the art of automatic telephony are familiar, an-exam le of such switch being shown in U. S. etters Patent, Nos. 815,176 and 815,321, ranted March" 13, 1906, to Keith c and Erickson. In the arrangement of such 1 switches at the central oflice they are divided into groups or sets known generally as first and second selectors and connectors, the number of lines served, but as the operation of a plurality of switches in setting up a connection is in general the same as the operation of a single switch, inasmuch as they operate successively, ,I have merely shown for convenience in illustration one switch. In practice this single switch shown may be used to connect one line with any one of several other lines, a switch of the type mentioned being capable of connecting a single subscribers line with upward of one hundred other lines, the grouping of a plurality of these being provided to permit intercommunication from any subscribers circuit to any other subscribers circuit. An automatic switch of this character comprises a vertical and rotary movable shaft 45 carrying line wipers or brushes ab, which it will be understood, cooperate with the sets of contacts arranged in circular rows and vertical tiers, the shaft being moved vertically step by step to aline the brushes with the different rows of contacts by means of ratchet mechanism actuated by what is known as the vertical magnet, indicated by V. Similarly, the shaft is revolved by apawl and ratchet actuated by impulses of current transmitted through a rotary magnet R, their respective circuits beingcontrolled by a contact arm 0, of mechanism termed the side switch actuated by current impulses in the so-called private magnet P. The switch arm 0 normally engaes the contact 03 while current impulses are being transmitted to the vertical magnet andwhen these cease the confirming impulse transmitted over the rotary side of the line actuates the side switch mechanism to step the switch arm into engagement with the contact 6 cutting in the rotary magnet and breakin the circuit of the vertical magnet. The si e switch mechanism is illustrated diagrammatically as comprising an armature p cooperating with the magnet P pivoted at p. Attached to the armature is of the subscribers telephone circuit, is indi-,

cated as comprising vertical and rotary line wires A B, which lead from the switch wipers a?; to the subscribers telephone 111- omitted. Accordingly I have only illus-,

trated those parts of a single central oflice switch which will serve to illustrate the operation and the objects accomplished by the use of a fire alarm signal box constructed in accordance with my present invention, and it will be understood that many features and details of the switch have been omitted and other things which it is neces-,

sary to take into consideration in connection with the practical operation of an automatic telephone system have not been referred to, as they are well known in the art. For instance, in connection with the telephone system, it will be seen that no provision in the illustration has been made for supplying battery for talking purposes, although it will be understood that current is supplied for this purpose to both calling and the called lines in the usual manner.

A source of current for operating the switch is supplied by the battery X, tapped to ground at one side, as indicated by 90, its opposite pole being connected by the wire as to the wire 7", leading to armatures o and 7' arranged in front of the vertical relay S and adapted to be attracted when the latter is energized into engagement with contacts '0 and 7" respectively. Leading from these contacts are wires '0 and 7' connected respectively, to one end of the coils of the vertical and rotary magnets V and R. The other ends of the coils of these magnets are connected by the wires o and r to the side switch contacts (Z and 6 respectively. The battery lead w is connected by the wire 9 to one end of the winding of the private ma'gnet'P and the other extremity of said winding is connected by the wire g to the rotary line wire B. The relay S is connected by the wires 8 and s with the vertical line wire A and conductor Leading from the ground tap of the battery is the wire 02: connected to the side switch arm 0..

At the subscribers station the calling device D is connected to ground by a conductor h and extending from the latter is the wire it to the contact spring 27 of the signalbox. The contacts 35 and 36 of the latter, it will be noticed, are also connected with the vertical and rotary sides of the subscribers circuit by wires a and b. The contact spring 34 is connected with the contact 28 by the wire 2'.

The switch wipers a and b are shown in operated position connecting the telephone circuit line wires A and -B with the fire alarm circuit, which may also be the .telephone circuit leading to fire alarm headquarters, comprising the line wires A and B connected to the endsof the coil of a magnet M. The latter is adapted to attract the armature on into engagement with acontact in a local circuit comprising battery B and magnets N of a registering mechanism which latter is shown diagrammatically and embodies an armaturea having a punch or marker it for perforating or otherwise indicating each impulse of current on a tape 12?. Current may be supplied to the tire alarm circuit in the usual or any suitable manner, but for the purposes of illustration a local battery 13* is shown connected to the wire B by the tap b and to the ground, as indicated at :0

The circuit leadingto the fire alarm head 8 quarters from the automatic telephone eX- change will bedesignated by a suitable member and its terminals will appear in th? proper position at all various multiple co itacts of the proper switchesat the central otlice to enable any subscribe'rs circuit to be automatically connected therewith through said switches. For the purposes of this case the number of the fire alarm circuit has been arbitrarily designated as 6 and the 95 member or signal wheel 15 of the calling mechanism, is shown .as provided upon its periphery with the necessary teeth for causing this circuit to be selected when the signal mechanism is actuated. These teeth are indicated by 46 and are adapted to successively relieve the lever 31 and permit the contact Spring 34 to alternately engage and disengage the contact 35 to cause the switch shaft to rise vertically by successive impulses of current transmitted through the vertical magnet. The last tooth of the series, however, projects beyond the periphery of the wheel, as indicated-at 47, and serves to depress the lever 31 to move the contact 1 spring 34- into engagement with the contact and thus permit the confirming switchmg impulse to be transmitted over the rotary side of the line to cause the switch wipers a and b to engage the set of contacts 1 devoted to the fire alarm circuit. The detail circuits by which these movements of the contact spring 34 are accomplished may be traced as follows: ground :12, battery X,

wires on and f, s, relay S, wires 3, A, a, 120

contact 35, spring 34, wire 2', contact 28, spring 27, wire it to ground. The energizing of the relay S attracts the armature o, closing the following circuit: battery X,

wire m side switch 0, contact (1, wire @3 magnet V, wire o contact a, armature 2), wires 7', w, to battery. Impulses of current, are-transmitted over the circuits described each time the lever 31 is released by one of the smaller teeth of the wheel 15, thus and cutting out the vertical magnet, at the 'Z', Wheel 16, wiper 38. wire same time causing the switch wipers to be revolved in their characteristic manner one step into engagement with the first set of contacts of the level selected, this in the present instance causing said wipers to con-- nect the line wires A and B with the outgoing or called line wires A B Additional notches may be provided on the wheel 16 should it be desired to cause the further rotary movementof the switch wipers, or these may be advanced automatically by circuit conditions established by the switches themselves for causing the, wipers to seek the idle trunk line.

It will be noticed that'the actuation of the switch mechanism is accomplished during a partialrotation of the wheel 16 and during this period the contact spring 27 is held out of engagement with the contact arm 29, which latter is in electrical connection with the alarm signal Wheel 16 through the frame of the mechanisms, as indicated by the dotted line is (Fig. 5), consequently, the impulses of current for indicating the alarm cannot be transmitted until after the switch connections have been set up to connect the calling subscribers line with the called line, and the spring 27 has been released. This last mentioned operation occurs when the pin 21 engages the cam face 20 of the lever 17, and shifts the latter to carry the pin 26 thereon above angular end 30 of the spring 27 and thus permit the latter to assume the position shown in Fig. 3. The continued rotation of the arbor 8 and the alarm signal wheel 16 will cause a group of current impulses to be transmitted successively to the fire alarm headquarters and actuate the magnet M over the following circuit: ground, wire A, spring 27 wire A, brush a, wire A magnet M, wires B 6 battery B, ground m The attraction of the armature m occurring simultaneously with the energizing of the magnet M will close the local circuit of the alarm register mechanism and cause the number of the signal box to be recorded on the tape n call continues and makes a plurality of records until the signal box mechanism is arrested or the force of its dr ving spring is exhausted.

It is desirable in order to prevent any equally true it This recording of the interference with the operation of the signal mechanism that the telephone instrument be disconnected from the circuit during the operation of ringing in an alarm and this is the telephone circuit beof the manual or automatic system. This ob? ject may be easily accomplished by extending one of the line wires with a tap a leading through contacts 48 and 49 mounted on the plate 5 which are normally closedwhen the signal mechanism is in the inoperative position and in the arrangement of the parts shown I have found it convenient to locate these springs in position to be normally closed by the projection '47 of the wheel 15. The movement 0 curs the moment the box is actuated opens the telephone circuit and prevents an excited subscriber from interfering with the si a1 mechanism during its operation, as might occur with certain types of telephone instruments if the subscriber removed his receiver this projection which oc-v 'a time.

I claim as my invention 1. In a signal mechanism for use on sub scribers circuits .offiautomatic telephone exchange systems which comprise electromagnetically operated central office switches, the combination with two movable members and circuit and operatedby one of the members to transmit current impulses for actuating the central office switches, to select a predea termined circuit, of other contacts cotiperat: ing with the other member for transmitting alarm impulses over said circuit after the connection has been established through said switches and means for driving the members.

2. In a signal mechanism for use on suba set of contacts arrangedin a subscribers scribers circuits of automatic telephone exchange systems which comgise electromagnetically operated central 0 cc switches, the combination with two revoluble members provided with notches, of contactsarran ed in a subscribers circuit for transmitting 1m pulses of current for actuating said switches and giving an alarm signal, said contacts being actuated by said members and certain ones of them being operated to prevent the transmission of the alarm signal impulses} during the transmission of the switch actuating impulses.

3. In a signal mechanism for use on sub scribers circuits of automatic telephone exchange. systems which comprise electromagnetically operated central oflice switches, the combination with two simultaneousl revo-v luble members, of contacts actuated y said members for transmitting groupsof current impulses for actuating said switches and givin an alarm signal, certain of said contacts eing operated by one ofthe members to open the circuit over which alarm 1mpulses are transmitted. curing the despatching of the switch actuating impulses and thereafter to close said circuit.

4. In a signal mechanism for use on subscribers circuits of automatic telephone exchange systems which comprise electromagnetically operated central office switches,'the combination of two operating members, a switch operating branch circuit and an alarm despatching branch circuit both leading from the subscribers circuit and each provided with contacts, of devices actuated by thev members and cooperating with the contacts to transmit at different times current impulses for operating the switches and current impulses for, giving a signal.

5. In a signal nie 'clian ism for use on subscribers circuits ofrautei'natic telephone exchange systems which comprise electromagnetically operated central ofiice switches, the

combination of two operating members, a

switch operating branch circuit. and an alarm de'spatching branch circuit both lead-\ ing from the subscribers circuit and each provided with contacts, of devices actuated by the members and conjointly controlling said contacts to successively transmit impulses for operating the switches and im-- pulses for giving a signal.

6. In a signal mechanism for use on subscribers ciroults of automatic telephone exchange systems which comprise electromagnetically operated central oflice switches, the combination with two branch circuits leadin from the subscribers circuit each provi ed with contacts, notched wheels and levers actuated the'reby for operating the contacts, said cooperating arts being so arranged that impulses 0? current are first despatched over one branch circuit to actuate the switches and thereafter impulses of current are despatched over the other branch to givean alarm signal and means for drivin the wheels. t

' In an alarm mechanism for use in conjunction with a subscribers circuit of an automatic telephone system,'the combination with a frame, an arbor, a switch operating wheel and a signal despatching wheel there on both provided with notches," of sets of contacts mounted on the frame, a lever pivoted thereon and cooperating with one set of contacts and the switch operating wheel, another levercooperating with the other set of contacts and actuated by the signal despatching wheel and a brush cooperating with the latter. I v Y FREDERICK S. BRONSON. Witnesses:

RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH,

' NnLsoN Corr. 

